National Night Out comes to Norristown Aug. 6

NORRISTOWN — Community organizations, the Norristown Police Department and several church groups are participating in the National Night Out event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, in the 1300 block of Willow Street from Wood Street to Fornance Street.

“It is important to have a National Night Out in Norristown,” said Norristown Police Chief Willie Richet. “To have the community and the police department working together as a partnership. We do this for the community.”

Richet said “at least eight police officers will be on the scene Tuesday night. There will be other officers on duty who will stop by during the evening.”

The parking lots of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church and Siloam Baptist Church will be used for children’s games including a Moon Bounce and face painting activities, said Doris Smith Starks, a Norristown Town Watch coordinator.

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“There will be pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers, meatballs, salad, Chick Fil A., a Spanish dish from the Nuesva Norristown New Life Mennonite Church, Diva Kitchen and ice cream,” Smith Starks said. “The Willis Brothers will be cooking the hamburgers and hot dogs. Entertainment will be provided by disc jockey Ken Fennal and a Norristown-based drill team organized by Buck Jones.”

The Men of Excellence, Greater Norristown Police Athletic League, CTC-Norristown Prevention Initiative, the Norristown Fire Department, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, the NC3PT group, T.R.U.S.T., the Norristown Town Watch: East, North and West, SEPTA and the DeKalb Day School will participate in the free event along with local officials.

Dawn Dawkins, the mother of a fatal gunshot victim in Norristown two years ago, will give a brief speech about gun violence, Smith Starks said.

The introduction of National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” began in 1984 with an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie organized by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW). Matt Peskin, the NATW executive director, organized the first event on Aug. 7, 1984. That first year, 2.5 million Americans took part across 400 communities in 23 states.

National Night Out now involves over 37 million people and 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide, according to the NATW Web site.

“The previous National Night Out in Norristown has been successful. We have had 100s of people come out,” Richet said. “The neighborhood watch program in Norristown is an important tool for our police department. They are our eyes and ears out there in the community.”

Smith Starks said the event “helps to promote the neighborhood spirit. It brings the community together. We want to be more family oriented.”